Northern Arizona Healthcare supports events and programs to increase community awareness of medications and harmful substances, including:
- National Poison Prevention Week – This community awareness education program is held in March to educate preschool to third-grade students about poisons found in their environment.
- National Pharmacy Week – This annual promotion is held in October. It’s an effective way to educate patients about medications, while also promoting pharmacists’ role and expertise.
- Flagstaff Medical Center training site – This six-week rotation offers specialized training in pharmacy, hospital pharmacy administration and adult medicine for students enrolled at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, the Midwestern University College of Pharmacy and other pharmacy schools.
8 ways to avoid adverse drug reactions
- Learn the names of all medications prescribed for you.
- When you see a new healthcare practitioner, provide a list of all your medications, including vitamins and alternative medicines.
- Be familiar with how your medications look and check them before taking them.
- Know the dosage and schedule for every medication you take.
- If you have questions about any treatments or medications, ask your pharmacist.
- Request written information about your medications.
- If you’re too ill to follow these recommendations, ask a friend or a relative to help you.
- Keep your family safe by keeping a separate list of medications for each family member.
3 tips to prevent antibiotic resistance
- Don’t skip doses or stop taking the medication before the prescription is finished.
- Remember that antibiotics should be used for bacterial infections, not viral infections.
- Never self-medicate with antibiotics that haven’t been prescribed for you.